Axis History Forum

This is an apolitical forum for discussions on the Axis nations and related topics hosted by the Axis History Factbook in cooperation with Christian Ankerstjerne’s Panzerworld and Christoph Awender's WW2 day by day.
Founded in 1999.

Carl Schwamberger wrote:Been curious about where the 30.5 & 35.5 cm Czech cannon were in 1940.

According to Czech sources Wehrmacht formed two battalions - 624 and 641 - and one independent battery armed with 305mm "Morser 16(t)". Those were used against the Maginot Line - Ouvrage Fermont is especially mentioned.

As to 355mm cannon - in Czechoslovak military there were none. And while Iam not sure, I think that Škoda had never produced gun with that caliber

Yes. The trick is they have to moved to a suitable position, the target precisely located and the vulnerable point actually hit. The French Overage & their observation posts were located to have maximum observation of surrounding ground. Ground that could not be observed was precisely surveyed so suspected enemy forces could be struck with harassing fires. Several secondary works were destroyed, after careful planning and methodical preparations. In those cases the French had already withdrawn the field forces including the supporting artillery from the sector.

I need to add something ...
French army had many batteries of ALVF guns ( heavy guns on rail ) , beyond the maginot wall , and capacity to calculate or identify position of heavy german guns after the first shot . So they will be able to send counter-battery attacks if french positions were hit .
It's why this solution was not very fully used from the germans : the french heavy artillery was a real problem for the germans , and , i've to add again , some forts in maginot line had long range and powerful guns to opperate the same counter-battery action .

Back to infantry firepower, I see Lee Sharp book volume III mentions French motorized infantry regiment had additonal weapon kept in regiment and battalion supply units, totalling 72 x FM-24.29, 18 x Hotchkiss MG, 6 x 60mm mortar and 3 x 81mm mortar. But I don't know why this kind of units needed to keep reserve weapon like that if she did not have enough trained crews to use this weapon or just waited for supply depot to deliver new weapon to her, like other division.

Kelvin wrote:Back to infantry firepower, I see Lee Sharp book volume III mentions French motorized infantry regiment had additonal weapon kept in regiment and battalion supply units, totalling 72 x FM-24.29, 18 x Hotchkiss MG, 6 x 60mm mortar and 3 x 81mm mortar. But I don't know why this kind of units needed to keep reserve weapon like that if she did not have enough trained crews to use this weapon or just waited for supply depot to deliver new weapon to her, like other division.

The proportions to issued weapons in the companies sounds similar to the 'reserve' stocks we had in our division allowances. (Circa 1983 USMC) i.e: the division had four extra M101 howitzers in the "Operational Ready Pool" ORP. The practice during peace time was to issue one of these when a worn cannon was brought to upper repair echelon & the item under repair was designated as a ORP item. It the weapon was sent out side division echelon repair, 'depot' level then a weapon from a pool outside the division was to replace it immediately.

I suspect the French had similar system to us, since we had many residual practices derived from the French 1917-1918 & later.

Hello ,
i'm not a specialist for artillery , but , in my mind , if we look at a french 1940's division , we have the "Artillerie Divisionnaire" ( AD ) ( headquarters of division's artillery ) , with one or two artillery regiments , and the artillery park & train .
But all the complete guns were in combat regiment . At this point i 've to add , some regiments had instructions units ( 111st Instruction battery ) , and some guns in addition of the theoretical dotation .
On other side, you have artillery parks at army level , with spare pieces and replacement guns , and depots at regional level .
So no reserve pool in the division , if i do not make a mistake .

The reason the DIM had extra weapons was that they were to be the forefront of an advance and these weapons were for defensive purposes only when oppostion was met. They were carried in the vehicles of the infantry companies.